Improvement in lamps



, UNITED ST TES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. BAGLEY, or, ELGIN, ILLINoIs.

IMPROVEMENT IN LAMPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 57,064, dated August 14, 1866. h i

means of a metallic or other suitable scraper so hung or arranged within the top of the lamp as to bemoved forward and backward over the up'perfend of the wick-tube and its Wick, and thus scrapeor remove from the same the charred orburned portionsof the wick, the upperend of the wick-tube being made of a shape corresponding to the sweep or move ment of the scraper or trimmer over it; second, in so .placing a receptacle around and upon the wick-tube of the lamp, just below its upper end and within the top of the lamp, for the portions of the wick scraped or trimmed from it by passing the scraper overit, as above stated, that it can be easily and readily removed from the lamp for being cleaned or emptied of its contents, this receptacle being either perforated upon its sides and bottom, or not, according as may be deemed most advisable or desirable, and, if perforated, a suitable opening or openings being made in the bottom or lower end of the lamp-top to allow the drippings from the said receptacle to pass back into the body of the lamp 5 third, in so forming the opening or slot in the ordinary cap piece or plate placed over the top of the wick-tube of the lamp that if the upper end of the wick-tube is'made of a circular shape across its width and the receptacle hereinbefore referred to be used a squareshaped flame at the top will be produced, thereby obtaining a brighter and more powerful light than with the ordinary squaretopped wick-tubes.

Having thus, in general terms, stated the features of the present invention, I will now proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being had to the accompanying plate of drawings, in Which- Figure l is a plan or top view of the top of a coal-oil lamp made according to my improvements,- Fi'g. 2, a vertical section, taken in the plane of the linear), Fig. 3, which is a central vertical section, taken in. the plane of the line na ef Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

A in the drawings represents the top of a coaloil lamp, which, except so faras the present invention extends, is made substantially similar-to the ordinary tops of such lamps; B, a portion of the wick-tube, soldered or otherwise properly secured at its lower end in the bottomplate, O, of the top A; D, the ordinary feeding mechanism for the wick of the lamp.

The upper end, E, of the wick-tube, or that at which combustion occurs, is made of, a circular shape across its width, the sweep of which corresponds to the partial circle or curve described by a metallic scraper, F, bent over thetop of the wick-tube and secured, at one end of its arm G, to the spindle H, placed horizontal in the lamp-top A and extending from the wick-tube to the outside of the said top, turning in suitable bearings of each of the same, with a knob or handle, I, upon its outerend for convenience in turning it.

By thus arranging a scraper, F, in the top of the lamp so as to swing or move over the upper end of the wick-tube, the charred or burned portions of the wick can be entirelyremoved or scraped off, and thereby the wick trimmed, to facilitate which trimming of the wick the edges of the scraper coming in contact therewith may be beveled and made sufficiently sharptherefor. I

J is a receptacle placed within the chamber K of the lamp-top A and over its wick-tube B, resting at each end upon the inclined sides L of said top, a suitable-shaped slot, M, being made in the said receptacle for the wick-tube to pass through it. This slot M, I make a little wider at its center than at each of its ends, so that it can pass freely over the wick-tube and its trimmer, but of sufficient width through its entire length for the scraper to be swung forward and backward across 'thewick-tube, a stop, a, being provided at each end of the slot M for the swing or movement of the scraper. The receptacle J, as shown in the drawings, is perforated upon its several sides or bottom,

and the purpose of its use is to receive or catch the burned or charred portions of the lamp-wick as they are removed by the action of the scraper when moved over and across it, as before explained, the oil contained in the scrapings of the lamp-wick or pressed from the wick by the scraper passing through the perforations of the receptacle into the'space N below it, from whence, through any suitable aperture or apertures in the bottom plate, 0, of the lamp-top, it can pass back into the body of the lamp.

The receptacle J, when desired to be cleansed or emptied of its contents, is removed by simply raising it upon the wick-tube, after which it is replaced upon the tube, as before.

0 is the ordinary cap of the wick-tube, with a slot, P, for the flame of the wick-tube to pass through, which slot, in the present invention, when a circular top wick-tube is used, is made of the shape shown in the drawings, (see Fig. 1, more especialiy)that is, much wider at its center K than' at each end, so as to form a flame with a square top and produce a much better and stronger light than with the ordinary wick-tubes having their upper ends flat or straight across their width.

Among the many advantages secured by my invention may be here mentioned as the most important that the use of scissors or wicktrimmers independent of or separate from the lamp are dispensed with, the trimmer in my improvement being always upon the lamp and in position for being used, whether the lamp is burning or not, it making no difference in its workin g, and, furthermore, not putting out the lamp. A great saving of the wick iseffected, as only the charred portions are removed, a most perfect and even trimming of the wick secured, as well as imparting a similar shape to the wick every time the scraper is used.

Although I have described the trimmer as arranged to move with a circular sweep across the top of the wick-tube, it may be arranged to move in a straight line across the same, or it may be so arranged as to move across the wick-tube in the direction of its thickness in lieu of the width and therefore 1' do not intend to limit myself to any one particular arrangement of it or its direction of movement, whether circular, straight, or otherwise; and, furthermore, it may be applied to other and various-kinds of lamps besides coal-oil lamps, although herein particularly described with reference to such lamps, as l deem it especially adapted thereto.

1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. So arranging or hanging within the top of the lamp in which a wick is used a metallic or other suitable scraper or trimmer that it can be moved forward and backward over the said wick at the upper end of the wick-tube, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In combination with the above, so placing a receptacle upon the Wick-tube of a lamp and below its upper end that it can be readily removed or replaced at pleasure, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. Forming the upper end 'of the wick-tube of a circular or curved shape, in combination with a slot in the lamp cap-piece, and the receptacle J, or its equivalent, when arranged together, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

CHARLES H. BAGLEY.

W itnesses A. RAYMOND, ALEX. O. LYND. 

